England reject Macedonian tickets
Friday, June 13, 2003
Article summary
The Football Association will not take any tickets for England's UEFA Euro 2004™ Group 7 qualifier in F.Y.R. Macedonia.
Article body
Fined and warned
England have already said they will not be using their allocation for their final qualifier against Turkey in Istanbul on 11 October. Last month they were fined by UEFA and warned about their future conduct following unsavoury incidents in the April qualifier against Turkey in Sunderland.
Friendly visits
However, England will be making tickets available for two away friendlies next spring, one against Portugal and one against an opponent yet to be confirmed but likely to be Sweden.
'Don't travel'
"We have taken this decision, we believe it is the right thing to do," said David Davies, the FA's head of international development. "We are urging English fans not to travel to Macedonia. We will be working very closely with the police, the security forces and the foreign office to make sure the match goes ahead in as smooth and trouble-free a way as possible."
FA efforts
Mike Lee, UEFA's Director of Communications and Public Affairs, said: "While it is unfortunate that there is still a hooligan element blighting football, we fully support the English FA in their continuing efforts to minimise the threat of trouble wherever possible."
